Mattapoisett beaches reopen

MATTAPOISETT — The Town Beach and Leisure Shores Beach have both reopened, officials said.

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Posted Jul. 4, 2013 at 12:01 AM

Posted Jul. 4, 2013 at 12:01 AM

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MATTAPOISETT — The Town Beach and Leisure Shores Beach have both reopened, officials said.

The two beaches were closed Tuesday because of high levels of bacteria found during water testing.

Both beaches were found to have high levels of enterococcus, bacteria commonly associated with fecal matter, according to a news release. Enterococcus is always present in water, but when found in high levels it can be hazardous to swimmers, causing illness in the gastrointestinal tract, according to the Massachusetts Department of Health.

State health officials said excessive levels of bacteria can come from a range of sources, from sewage overflows to animal waste.

In a statement issued Tuesday, Dale Barrows, agent on the Mattapoisett Board of Health, said beach closings due to bacteria are not uncommon. He expected the beaches to be open today.

At 9 a.m. Tuesday, the water was tested again. After 24 hours, results showed that enterococcus levels were back within the acceptable range.

Acceptable levels for enterococcus in marine waters according to the state Department of Public Health are 104 colony forming unites per 100 milliliters (cfu/100ml) of bathing water or below, for a single sample.

The town does water testing every Monday throughout the summer.

Information about water testing can be found on the Massachusetts Department of Public Health website and on the Mattapoisett town website.